When the economy tanks, the executive coaching business booms. Suddenly, everyone wants to sharpen their power skills. Leaders want clarity, teams need direction, and boards demand results.
But it begs the question. What does an executive coach actually do?
My BFF Jennifer McClure says, “What an executive coach is and does is not always what people are looking for. And also not what some ‘executive coaches’ actually deliver.”
Defining Executive Coaching
An executive coach works with senior leaders to improve effectiveness and unlock performance. The focus is on clarity, sharper decision-making, and faster team output. Done right, it drives alignment with the mission and improves profitability.
Credentialing bodies like the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and EMCC Global offer ethical standards, but coaching isn’t regulated. Anyone can call themselves a coach. Some are great, and others are winging it. It’s the Wild West!
Executive coaching should be about business results. But in practice, it can include job search advice, personal branding help, and tips on navigating high-level workplace drama. Some coaches work on investor decks. Some role-play tough conversations. Some just listen.
It varies. A lot.
What It’s Not
Executive coaching is not therapy. It’s not emotional triage for burned-out leaders. It’s not the place to unpack trauma or rewrite your origin story.
Coaching isn’t about how you feel about your father, and how his behaviors early in life impacted your ability to attach to people. (Wait, I’m talking about myself here.) It’s about moving forward. If you need to heal, see a therapist. If you need to get better at work, a coach might help.
As my fabulous friend Mary Faulkner says, “I think too many people assume an executive coach and a life coach are the same thing.”
They’re not. One helps you work better. The other enables you to live better. Know which one you need before you swipe your card.
When It’s Misused
Sometimes, companies use executive coaching to avoid naming the real issue. It feels proactive, safe, and strategic, but it can also be a way to sidestep deeper problems.
I was once hired to coach a senior leader who needed to “work on empathy and connection.” The real story? He was sexually harassing people on his team. They weren’t disengaged. They were protecting themselves. He was fired six months later. Coaching didn’t fail. Leadership did.
Coaching is not the answer to toxicity or misconduct. That requires consequences.
Do You Need an Executive Coach?
Maybe. But probably not if you’re still climbing the ladder. What you might need instead:
- A course on business strategy
- Public speaking coaching
- A mentor inside your company
- A class on financial acumen
- Honest feedback from peers
These options are more affordable and better tailored to the needs of emerging leaders, often resulting in improved outcomes.
Final Thoughts
The best executive coaching happens before a crisis. It’s tied to real business goals. It aligns personal growth with company results. And it should be paid for by your employer.
If you’re spending your own money to get “unstuck” at work, pause. Get clear on what you’re solving for. A coach can be powerful, but only if you ask the right questions and solve the right problems.
Otherwise, it’s just expensive talk therapy in business casual.